INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

A Sikh bridal couple.
In the morning of the wedding day the bride and the groom will go through a
ritual purification called kahare charna, or “ascending the basket”. Seated on a small
wooden platform under a canopy or an embroidered cloth (phulkari) both the bride
and the groom will at their respective locations be ceremonially anointed with a paste
(vatna) made of mustard oil, barley flour and turmeric mixed up with fresh curd. In
the case of the bride it is usually her sisters and female friends who are rubbing her
arms, feet and face five times each while singing songs, whereas in the house of the
boy this is done by his kinswomen, who jokingly entertain the groom-to-be with
naughty commentary. The ritual anointing marks the end of the period of seclusion
and the beginning of a new stage in life. Afterwards both the bride and the groom
discard their old robes and take a bath. To demarcate the transformation of their
identity both the bride and the groom crush five clay pots on the ground with their
feet before they dress up in their special dresses. The family hangs laurel or banana
leaves above the front door to show that their house is a wedding house. For the next
few hours they will be busy ironing clothes, combing, doing make-up and tying turbans.
The traditional bridal dress in the Punjab is exceptionally ornamental, alluding
to a royal symbolism. The maternal uncle (mama) or the maternal kin group (nanake)
of the bride and groom play a significant ritual role in the preparations. As the custom
prescribes, he should offer the clothes (jora jama) worn by the bride and groom
on the wedding day, along with jewellery, clothes and other gifts to his sister’s family.
On the wedding day he will give the bride her red ivory bangles (chura), signify-
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008